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United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

latimes.com

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Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#191

Post by dagenleg »

zippergz wrote: post #133
linker3000 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I asked United whether I could use their lounge at SFO as they cancelled my flight to Heathrow and I was going to be waiting the best part of a day for a flight to Dulles to take an alternative that would get me home 1.5 days late. By the look on the faces of the two lounge receptionists, you'd think I'd asked if I could take a dump on their desk. "Other people have paid membership to use this lounge" I was told in a…

I have a paid United Club membership. Those lounges are already pretty full a lot of the time, and one of the biggest reasons I (and many of the other members I know) pay for it is exactly the situation you describe. When something goes wrong with a flight, it's well worth the cost of the membership to have helpful agents, minimal lines, and a nice place to relax. It's not about the free mediocre food. Having a place…

I too do enjoy paying the bribe just to get an acceptable service! Oh, it's just like when visiting a poor post-Soviet country.

I am so glad that United officially incorporated this wonderful custom. No longer do I need to decide on the bribe amount on a per-case basis, I can now just pay once!

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#192

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

dagenleg wrote: post #88
mpweiher wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ...not a pattern of behavior. It's actually far worse than just a "pattern of behavior", it is how United and other airlines (mostly US, but rest of the world is catching on) have deliberately structured their enterprise and the entire customer experience. Everything revolves around "privilege". Even 20 years ago, this used to be bad. On most European airlines' flights, you just waited at the gate until your flight…

Interesting how the western world is facing the reversal of the trend of egalitarianism that rose up in the 20th century. It seems like just a century ago we had movements all over the world that strived for equality and now the tide has turned. The US that used to be on the forefront of defence of personal liberty is now largely lagging behind Europe and I would say even moving in the other direction. Even from the…

When this was about skin colour, it used to be called racism and apartheid.

When it's about class it's called economics.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#193

Post by URSpider94 »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #54
URSpider94 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

on United -- it was almost certainly a Global Services passenger. Those folks get whatever they want.

Then the airline needs to leave a seat unsold to allow them to do this. I hope they get sued within a cent of their ability to continue operating.

So, let's just say for a moment that this applied to 100 flights per day, and meant that United foregoes $1,000 in revenue per seat that they don't sell. They would be giving up $100,000 per day, or $1 million every 10 days, or roughly $35 million per year, by leaving a first-class seat empty on every flight. Weighing that against the risk of pissing off one or two first-class passengers a month for those times when everyone shows up for their flight and a VIP suddenly wants to claim a seat, just doesn't make good business sense.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#194

Post by deong »

stuff4ben wrote: post #130
coldpie wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some TSA clown once told me I had to throw away my water and we just stared at each other for a bit. "My water, seriously?" "Yep, your water." "Water." "Water." Fuck the TSA and fuck the terrified Americans who keep voting to keep them.

Why is that a big deal? You're warned not to bring bottles of liquids before you even get into the TSA line. Sure the TSA is bunch of security theatre in some cases, but if there's a rule there, why do you have to be a prick about it?

I was in line behind a girl flying from Schiphol to the US a couple of years ago, and they told her she needed to throw away the unopened bottle of water she'd purchased from a shop in the airport. She was arguing that she'd bought it right there and it hadn't been opened, and the guy said, "they're supposed to seal it in a bag. Maybe you can go get a bag?"

At that point, the rule isn't "you aren't allowed to bring liquids onto a plane because it might be a bomb". The rule is "you have to bring your bomb on the plane in a special bag".

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#195

Post by technofiend »

United has an interesting way of dealing with elite status these days... sure you still have silver, gold, platinum but then you have the real elite flyers.

You might be the first person in boarding group one, but you'll still be eclipsed by the 1K / Global Services / Polaris flyers who are the true elite both in status and in total dollar spend. They don't even bother to wait in line - they just show up when boarding starts and are shuffled to the front of the queue (along with a friend if they want), no questions asked.

Based on those layers it wouldn't particularly surprise me if one day as a mere Gold flyer I get bumped for higher tier elite. United has made it clear total dollar spend is how they judge the true status of flyers.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#197

Post by laretluval »

macintux wrote: post #72
fixermark wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trying to remember the last news story about someone being asked to leave their hotel room, refusing to do so, having police called, and continuing to refuse to do so. People being kicked out of hotel rooms because of scheduling errors does happen. It's pretty rare.

I'd be surprised were it legal to have the police drag someone out of a room they've paid for and been checked into, merely because another guest wants that room. Sure, you can ask, but on what legal basis do you have to apply violence?

The hotel is private property. If the owners of the property ask you to leave and you don't, you are trespassing.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#198

Post by posguy »

linkmotif wrote: post #149
yodsanklai wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're painting a darker picture than what it really is :) Most of the time, things go smoothly and flights are very affordable. I find it amazing that as a middle class person I can fly pretty much anywhere in the world. I can live with the inconvenience of being scolded by the TSA and US customs officers. Actually, I wonder how much this will last considering that fossil energy will likely cost more and more and th…

Eh I actually have developed this same attitude in the past few years. I'd rather drive NY to St Louis than fly because even though it's much shorter to fly, it's an uncomfortable reminder that the world is taken over by the lowest grade idiots and the highest grade capitalists. Probably nothing new, but somehow it feels different.

Gotta support the TSA make work program though, think of the poor, unemployed person who could instead be groping you in the name of security theater!

But seriously, flying sucks, I've driven 20+hrs to avoid it in the past. Usually worth it since I get to plan out stops and see old friends on the way down the west coast.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#199

Post by mirimir »

talmand wrote: post #181
mirimir wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, we know now that it's illegal to remove customers after boarding, unless they do something illegal. Saying no isn't illegal.

Where did this come from? I didn't read that in the article, did I miss it?

There's a comment by tiatia, which quotes a lawyer who replied in yesterday's thread about United.

Re: United removes first-class passenger to make room for 'higher-priority' traveler

#200

Post by toomuchtodo »

deong wrote: post #194
stuff4ben wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that a big deal? You're warned not to bring bottles of liquids before you even get into the TSA line. Sure the TSA is bunch of security theatre in some cases, but if there's a rule there, why do you have to be a prick about it?

I was in line behind a girl flying from Schiphol to the US a couple of years ago, and they told her she needed to throw away the unopened bottle of water she'd purchased from a shop in the airport. She was arguing that she'd bought it right there and it hadn't been opened, and the guy said, "they're supposed to seal it in a bag. Maybe you can go get a bag?" At that point, the rule isn't "you aren't allowed to bring l…

Just bring an empty water bottle with through and fill it post-security. For all the hand wringing, this is a minor issue.
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